Dry-cell tester.



E. S. LIICQLN. DRY CELL TESTER. APPLIOAT'IOH FILED MAB. 6, 190s.

Patned Oct. 5, 1909.

MJOQ/g fit-aast; Y Y @am MFM@ 6J 4M jftwwy UNER@ EDVIN S. LINCOLN, F BROOKLNE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRY-CELL TESTER.

Application tiled March 6, lOS. Serial No. 419,564.

Tooll 'whom 'it may concern: Be it known that i, EDWIN S. Innocent, a vcitizen of the United States, residing at- Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and `State of Massachusetts, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dry- Cell Testers, of which the following is a specification. ,l A-My-invention-relates to'means by which l0 the electricalcondition of dry cells, batteries, `and allied sources ofeleetrical energy, may be `,easily and ,quickly ascertained. i

`More especiall'yl have aimed to embody in a simple and inexpensive forni an testing iileyice adapted for asein connection with sources of energy, as Adry cells, which are commonly used in the energization of igni- 'tion systems.l of explosive engines, and the like', and affording a means by which it may :be determined with a' minimum of trouble and manipulation whether said cells are in a fresh or exhausted condition. i

The .ligure of the drawing showsmy inrvention in its preferred embodiment, the

.Zoloft-hand half ofsaid ligure being shown 'partly 'in section.

l llyinvention' as lshown in said figure comf. prises the retaining case or shell 1, which is '1 preferably cylindrical'in form and of a compact and portable size, and constructed of metal or other suitable material. ln said shell a Window or aperture 2 is provided as shown, preferably WithV a transparent covering for the same by which dust may be ex- 435 eluded from the interior of the shell.

`At the bottom of the inside of case l is y xedly mounted a coil or solenoidof wire `The terminals 4of solenoid 3 are electrically v connected with contacts Lt which are unyield- "iingly located upon the exterior of the case andvpreferably on the bottom ofthe same. 4The outer faces of said contacts i are preferably `roughened, as shown.

*At 5,-is aplunger, madegof materialeus- /f'cleptible of attractionA toward Athe solenoic Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented tiet.l 5, ttig.

minimum. 0n the upper cud of the plunger is a disk S or other means on ulrich may be inscribed the word-s or characters which'it maybe desired to adopt for thepurpose of indicating Varying electrical'conditions possible to :the eellsrun'der test. 4For thisvpurpose the words Excellent, titi-ong, Goot i, 'and lVeak, `are suggested. Then the plungervis in' the position vshown in the drawing, corresponding to Uan inert condition of solenoid 3, a blank appears at` opening 2, the characlersor Words inscribed on 'the dial being concealed byl the case` of the tester. But as the plunger-lowers, inresponse to the iiowof electric current through solenoid 3, thelocation" of the words onthe dial is such that vthey `are caused to appear at said opening 2.

'l` he manner of operation of my invention is as follows. The contacts et arolocated so as to register', in their position, with the terminals of the cell under est. The cell tester is then taken in one hand, while the cell to be tested is held in the other hand, and the external contacts are pressed simultaneously into contact-with the terminals of the cell under test, v'therebyshort circuiting said terminals through the solenoid. On

the completion of :the circuit made by the contact between cell terminals and tester contacts current Will'flow through 1the.sole noid 3, producing magnetic disturbances operating to draw plunger 5-dowmvard, against spring 7, so as to cause the saine to enter more or less deeply, according to the strength of said magnetic disturbances, into capable of being pressed against each other With a force vwhich is suilicient to insure a contact between said tester contacts and the 'cell terminals which may be relied-upon as being substantially free from resistance. ln the applicants tester therefore the :said

tester contacts are mounted upon the case. in

.i feature, 'talren ne sa id cer an 'unyieiding manner, .i in connection with tn taets register in position with the cell terminals', permits the user of the tester, holding the same in one hand, to rub the external contacts of the same against the terminals ofthe cell under test, held in the other hand, with a degree of force which Will render itreasonably certain that the Contact so made is a perfect one, and consequently give the opeiatoi'reasonable assurance that the tester accurately indicates the condition 4of the cell. The location of the various Words on the dial 8 may be ascertained by experiment with cells known to be in the various stages of electrical condition indicated by the descriptive Words used.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. In a cell testing device, the combination with a casing, of ContactA members located upon .the exterior of said casing, a solenoid magnet within said casing, a core adapted to enter said magnet., a washer surrounding said core and resting'upon said magnet, said casing hav-ing a side opening formed therein, a drum mounted directly upon the upper end of the core, said drum bearing strength indicating matter upon its periphery, and a spring which bears between said drum and the Washer, the spring normally tending to eject the core from the magnet, said core being drawn into said magnet against the tension of said spring.

2. In a cell testing device, the combination with a casing,'of contact members located upon the exterior of said casing, a solenoid4 magnet Within said casing, a core adapted to enter said 1nagnet,said casing having a sight opening formed therein, a drum mounted directly upon the upper end of the core, said drum bearing strength indicating matter upon its periphery, and a spring which bears between said drum and the magnet, the spring normally tending to eject the core from the magnet, said corebeing drawn into said magnet against the tension of said spring. .y

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN S. LINCOLN.

Iit-nesses NATHAN B. DAY, Cries. F. RANDMT 

